BAYONNE AND BEYOND -- The Port Authority is advising customers who may be planning to travel over the Bayonne Bridge during the early morning hours of Sunday, October 14, to avoid the bridge and take alternate routes. The agency will close the bridge in both directions, including the pedestrian walkway, from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. for a multi-agency emergency safety drill.

The drill will involve staff from the Port Authority, members of the Port Authority Police Department, the New York City Fire and Police Departments, the Bayonne Fire and Police Departments, and the Bayonne Emergency Medical Services. The drill will simulate a head-on collision, resulting in multiple accidents on the approaching roadways. The exercise will enhance the agency’s overall preparedness for handling a large-scale emergency in coordination with numerous partnering agencies.

Motorists who plan to be on the road during those hours should take the Goethals Bridge or Outerbridge Crossing when traveling between Staten Island and New Jersey. Travelers can check 511NY.org and 511NJ.org for travel updates.